“The flu season is when you start off in the morning with a light heart and end up in the evening with a heavy nose.”
– Robert Orben
While we may be ready to don our holiday apparel with the dropping temperatures, it is evident that flu season is finally upon us. Now we must struggle with defending ourselves against the threat of the flu, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Below are some tips that the CDC recommends to protect yourself and others.
Avoid Crowds
During this time of year, you can experience large crowds of people shopping for presents for their loved ones. You may be tempted to hit the holiday sales at your local convenience store, but you can also be exposing yourself to potential germs and bacteria. If possible, avoid the trip and stick to online shopping.
Wash Your Hands
It is recommended to wash your hands before, during and after preparing and eating food, after using the toilet, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Be sure to use plenty of soap and scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. If there isn’t access to a sink or soap, you can use hand sanitizer that has at least 70% alcohol content.
Wear A Face Mask
Many businesses mandate wearing face masks in their stores to prevent the passing of COVID-19 through respiratory droplets. It is best practice to continue wearing your face mask to also prevent the spread of the flu. Wearing your face mask can also act as a reminder not to touch your face or eyes, intercepting the spread of both the flu and COVID-19.
Stay Home
Should you start to feel any symptoms such as fever, fatigue cough, stuffy nose or sore throat, make sure to stay home to reduce the risk of both exacerbating your symptoms, and passing an infection on to anyone else. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids, introduce extra Vitamin C into your diet and make an appointment with your doctor.
CDC estimates that last season at least 410,000 people were hospitalized from flu. Make sure to follow the above steps to protect one of our most vulnerable population, our seniors.
Should your loved one be experiencing any flu or COVID-19 symptoms and need any extra assistance in the home, please call Collier Home Care in Naples, FL, to discuss home care provided by a qualified Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Home Health Aide (HHA). Here are some ways we can help you:
- Help with standby or hands-on assistance with the activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, toileting, walking/mobility, transferring, feeding, grooming, and continence.
- Grocery shopping and meal preparation
- Errands
- Driving
- Medication reminding or assistance with self-administration of medication
Depending on what you need, Collier Home Care offers between one and 24 hours a day service, plus live-in care. It is our pleasure to care for you, your family, and your loved ones.
If we can help with home health care services or determine an appropriate level of care, call us at (239) 920-3902 or reach us here.